Apartment Visit
by Redler Red7
Summary: Azusa joins Ui in visiting Yui's apartment after a long time not being able to see Yui. Post-series with a college-age Azusa and working-age Yui. Fluff and heartwarming conversation.


**Dedicated to Mei from the K-on Discord (immuffinator on FFnet). Belated happy birthday. Enjoy if you can.**

**Apartment Visit**

Azusa looked up at the sky, holding out her hand to catch the falling cherry blossom petals. A few landed on her palm only for a gust of wind to blow them away.

"Azusa, something wrong?"

Azusa glanced back to Ui who was standing behind her. She then shook her head in response. "Nothing's wrong. Are you ready to go?"

Ui shouldered her bag and smiled. "Should be."

Azusa nodded and they both started down the street.

The walk to the station was made in silence. As was the ride on the train. Azusa didn't feel awkward about it. The nervous energy building inside her was keeping her occupied. She barely had the wherewithal to remain balanced as the train sped up and slowed down. Her limbs just felt so shaky.

"Relax," Ui whispered to her, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. "She's just as excited to see you as you are to see her."

Azusa did not voice a reply and merely nodded. She spent the rest of the trip looking out of the window, watching the increasingly dense cityscape flit by.

"Now arriving," a pleasant voice announced through the train's speaker system.

Azusa allowed herself to be swept along by the tide of people exiting the train care, breaking away once she was out on the platform. She looked back towards Ui who was still politely making her way through the crowd.

"You okay?" she asked.

Ui's expression was pained but she still smiled. "I've never quite been good with big-city crowds like this," she said. "Though, honestly, I was a more worried about you."

Azusa averted her eyes. "I elbowed through them. I'm fine." She then turned around and started walking. "Come on. We shouldn't be late."

Onward, she walked, placing one step after another. She hadn't ever been through any of the streets she was passing but every turn was made with the certainty of someone who knew exactly where she was going. And she did. She absolutely knew.

A left. A right. Cross the bridge. Step. Step. Step.

She had memorized the directions given to her. She had been looking forward to this day for weeks. She'd reread every message about it countless times by now. She knew them by heart. Each step. Every turn. It was second nature.

_Boom_, her heart pounded, beating to the tempo of her feet against the pavement. Faster and faster with every passing second. Step. Step. Step.

But because she knew, it made the distance all the more apparent. She was so close and yet still so far. She wanted to run. She wanted to _fly!_ Fly over every obstacle! Skip every turn! With the excitement in her heart, she felt like she could almost try. Try to grow wings. Try to make a running jump and soar through the sky and land straight to her destination.

One more left. Up a hill. Straight ahead for a block. Step. Step. Step.

She broke into a run. She saw it. She saw the statue. She saw the landmark that told her she'd reached her destination. She ran. She slipped past everyone in her way. She moved as quickly as possible to the place she wanted to be.

With a rush, she entered and skidded to a stop.

"He-… _hah… _He-hello…?"

That was all Azusa managed to say through her labored breathing. For a moment, she simply stood, panting in front of the intercom in the lobby, waiting for a reply. Then the moment passed, the buzz of starry-eyed excitement slowly fading from her mind. In its place was a niggling doubt that she had called the wrong room. That maybe she was out. That maybe she took a wrong turn and was at a different building entirely.

But then…

The speakers crackled.

_[Azusa…? Is that you, Azu-nyan?]_

Azusa froze, wide-eyed and staring at the speakers. She almost couldn't believe it. But there was no denying it. From skipping of her heart to the goosebumps on her skin at being called that nickname. She was absolutely certain. That voice was Yui's. That voice was her bubbly and energetic senpai.

She…

Her…

It was…

Azusa shook her head and swallowed a nervous breath. She felt barely coherent enough to _think_, let alone speak. Still, she gingerly pressed the talk-button.

"Guh-… _hah…_ G-good morning… _hah…_ senpai…"

_"Azu-nyan!"_

Azusa's breathing hitched as she was suddenly tackled into a hug. She quickly relaxed into the familiar hold she found herself in, arms so soft and gentle despite how tightly she was being held. She almost felt like crying.

"Azu-nyan, I've missed you! I haven't gotten a recharge in so long!"

Azusa smiled wryly and returned the hug. "The first time… we see each other in over three months… and you say… _that_?"

Yui hugged tighter. "I can't help it. I _needed_ to hug you!"

There was no other reaction Azusa felt was apt. She laughed. In her breathless, winded state, she laughed harder than she had in a long time.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, just… I missed you too is all… I also needed a hug…"

Yui giggled. "See? You can't help it either. Best stop complaining."

Rather disappointingly, she loosened her arms around Azusa and looked around.

"By the way, where's Ui?"

"Now that you mention it…"

Azusa then felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and flipped it open. "Hello?"

_[I think I'm lost. You were walking really fast and seemed to just disappear after you rounded a corner.]_

Azusa frowned and looked to Yui who was looking at her with an expectant smile. She lowered her phone and scratched her head. "So… about Ui…"

"Go," Yui said with another giggle. "I can wait a little longer. I'll prepare some tea for when you arrive."

Azusa bowed in apology. "I'll be quick, I promise."

Yui made for the elevator and put a finger on her nose. "You know which room to go to. Just knock and I'll be there." The elevator doors closed in front of her, finally blocking her from view. It began to go up.

Azusa stared at the increasing number on the elevator panel and sighed. She then shook her head clear and left the building, hoping to rescue Ui from her fate of wandering a city she'd never been to before.

"That was really mean, Azu-nyan," Yui said with a pout as Azusa and Ui took a seat at Yui's living room table. "Why would you do that to Ui?"

Ui smiled apologetically, raising her hands dissuadingly. "I was fine, Yui. She was just really excited is all. I really didn't want to slow her down."

Yui set down a pot of tea and two cups for each of them. "Still, though. That was mean."

Azusa also smiled apologetically. "If it makes you feel any better, I already apologized."

"Yeah. And I forgave her."

Yui stared at them for a moment as she poured their cups. She put down the pot and leaned back, turning her head to the side slightly. "Huh… I guess that's okay…"

The next several hours was spent in conversation, exchanging stories of what the three have been up to in the past few months.

Yui's new apartment was leased courtesy of Mugi. The heiress had apparently wanted her friends to have apartments in the city that were close to their respective workplaces. The closest apartment complex to the school Yui taught at also happened to be the biggest and fanciest one owned by the Tsumugi family. It was a stroke of dumb luck, to be honest.

Azusa's was a more modest apartment across the city. There was at least a two hour commute just to get to Yui's, making visits hardly viable on any day that wasn't completely free. It was something of a miracle that Azusa managed to find so much free time in between studying for her finals and working on her thesis.

"I'm gonna start making dinner," Yui said, standing from her seat.

"Oh, I can do—"

Ui also stood and began to speak but Yui quickly cut her off with a wag of her finger. "Silly Ui. You're a guest here. I can't let you do my job as a host for me. Let big sister do the cooking for once."

Ui slowly sat back down as Yui got to work in the kitchen. She then sighed, looking down at her cup. "I know she's been living on her own for a year now," she began, "but it still catches me off guard when I notice how self sufficient she seems to be."

Azusa didn't reply, merely taking a sip of her drink. As she did so, she glanced to Yui who was currently chopping vegetables. On the counter beside her was a pack of cut-up chicken that was currently thawing. On the stove was a pot of water over low heat.

"I think we're having stir-fry tonight," Azusa said, setting down her cup and returning her gaze to Ui. "You taught her that dish, didn't you?"

Ui beamed and nodded. "It didn't take her long to master it. She always overseasons it so the flavor is really strong but I think that's how she prefers it. In my years cooking for her, I never knew."

"Hmm." Azusa leaned over the table, resting her chin on her palm. She turned back to Yui and simply stared.

Dinner was served before long and conversation continued. The topics were as inane and meaningless as they were before dinner. And yet, Azusa still enjoyed them. She loved every second—even past the point where Yui pulled out a bottle of rice wine.

Azusa coughed. "It's like fire," she said after taking a sip. "Goodness, that's strong."

Yui giggled and took a long savored sip of her own. She gasped as her lips left her cup. "Hah… Yeah. A coworker of mine gave it to me as a gift during the New Year's." She then leaned over to refill Azusa's cup. "She said drinks like this is best shared with friends so I wanted to save it for nights like tonight. What do you think?"

Azusa's face scrunched up as she took another sip. "_Gah… _It's good, I guess, but it burns. Is your coworker an alcoholic? This stuff hits hard."

Yui thought for a bit, cupping her chin cutely. "Hmm… Well, I don't _think _she's an alcoholic but I know she likes strong drinks." She then shrugged. "She's really nice, though."

Azusa merely nodded, taking yet another sip. No matter how many times she took a sip, it didn't feel like her throat burned any less.

It took only a few rounds of drinks before Ui was passed out on the sofa. Yui draped a blanket over her and tucked a pillow under her head. "Sweet dreams, Ui," she said, planting a kiss on Ui's brow.

Azusa watched this from the table, mind still buzzing. She felt surprisingly lucid, however. For someone who was fairly light and hadn't developed any of her resistances to alcohol, she didn't feel like she was very drunk at all. Certainly not as drunk as Ui.

"One more round before we call it a night?" Yui asked, raising the bottle. Based on the sound it made, there was only enough liquid inside to fill two more cups.

Azusa leaned forward and presented her cup. "Might as well finish it off."

They both raised heir drinks in cheers and tipped their heads back.

"_Hah… _Goodness. I'll never get used to that," Azusa said, fighting back her grimace.

Yui again giggled, leaning to the side and resting her cheek onto her palm. "I used to think that too… But I met a lot of friends drinking like this. I'm sure you'll find a way to enjoy it."

Azusa smiled, letting out a hoarse chuckle. "I already enjoy it. Best shared with friends, right?"

For a moment, the two sat in silence, merely enjoying each other's presence. The ticking of the wall clock, the dripping of the kitchen faucet, and the muffled ambient noise of the city filled the silence between them.

"So," Azusa began, looking into her now empty cup.

"So," Yui repeated, drumming her fingers against the table. It was a sporadic arpeggio and yet stayed perfectly in tempo with the clock and faucet. A rhythm within the noise the felt as natural as Azusa's steady heartbeat.

"Can I kiss you?" Yui then asked in barely a whisper.

Azusa averted her gaze for a moment, feeling her heart rate quicken. It had been a long time since they last kissed… Without saying a word, she leaned forward, closed her eyes, and waited.

The was a pause. A beat. One full measure. Then she felt contact. A peck on her lips whose touch lasted than a second before Yui pulled away.

Azusa opened her eyes to Yui staring straight at her. She stared back at those chocolate brown irises. Those soft lips that tasted of alcohol. She deeply, desperately wanted more.

"You'll wait for me, right?" Azusa said, putting a hand on Yui's cheek. "I have just a year left and I'll be out of school."

Yui mirrored Azusa, brushing a tuft of hair from her face. "Take as long as you need, Koneko-chan. This apartment won't run out of space any time soon."

Azusa leaned forward and gave Yui a deeper, fuller kiss which Yui reciprocated. Yui's hand moved down to rest on Azusa's shoulder. Azusa's fingers ran through Yui's hair as she pulled Yui closer. Yui stood up to lean even closer. They stayed like that until they had to pull away to breathe.

Azusa looked up at her, smiling tenderly. "T-thank you…"

Yui chuckled. "No need to thank me, Azusa. I love you."

"I love you to-_oooo_—"

Azusa suddenly tipped to the side when Yui pulled at her shoulder and kicked the foot of her chair. She fell softly into Yui arm as the other arm slinked under her legs. With some effort, Yui lifted her up and started walking to what seemed to be the bedroom.

Azusa made a noise of distress. "Yui, no. I still have school tomorrow."

Yui frowned and stopped in her tracks. She tilted her head curiously. "Do you not want to?"

Azusa stared for a moment, then averted her gaze, darting her eyes every which way before settling on her hands folded against her lap. "I don't _not _want it, but…"

Yui smiled her every glowing smile and resumed walking to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Azusa spent the rest of the night in Yui's arms.

**End of Chapter**

**Alternate last line: "They had lots of sex afterward."**

**I wanted this out yesterday in time for Mei's birthday but I started work on it a little late. In any case, I hope you all enjoyed. I don't normally write for Yui/Azusa and I'm also out of practice in writing the characters that aren't in Three Sided Coin. I hope this was up to snuff.**


End file.
